"That last is a question which would better be decided upon the spot," Captain Raymond said when it had been asked once or twice. "There is little or nothing to hurry us, so that we may move forward, or tarry in one place or another, as suits our convenience or inclination." "We will call at Jacksonville, I suppose, father?" Lucilla said inquiringly. "I see it is spoken of as the travel-centre and metropolis of the State." "Yes; and if my passengers desire to go there we will do so." "Can we go all the way in the _Dolphin_, papa?" asked little Elsie. "Yes; I think, however, we will call at Fernandina first, as it is nearer." "It is on an island, is it not?" asked Evelyn. "Yes; Amelia Island, at the mouth of St. Mary's River." "There are a very great many islands on Florida's coast, I think," said Elsie. "I was looking at the map to-day and it seemed to me there were thousands." "So there are," said her father; "islands of various sizes, from a mere dot in some cases to from thirty to fifty miles of length in others." "Then we won't stop at all of them, I suppose," remarked Ned sagely; "only at the big ones, won't we, papa?" "Yes; and not at every one of them either," answered his father, with a look of amusement. "Ten thousand or more stoppages would use up rather too much of our time." "Yes, indeed!" laughed Ned. "Most of them I'd rather just look at as we pass by." "We will want to see St. Augustine and other places mentioned in the history we have been reading," said Grace. "Certainly," replied her father, "we will not neglect them. The mouth of St. John's River is about the first we will come to. Do you remember, Elsie, what they called it, and what they did there?" "Oh, yes, papa," she answered eagerly. "They named the river May, and set up a monument of stone on a little sand bank in the river and engraved the arms of France upon it." "Quite correct, daughter," the captain said in a tone of pleased commendation; "I see you have paid good attention to our reading and talks on the subject, and I hope soon to reward you with a sight of the scenes of the occurrences mentioned; though of course they are greatly changed from what they were nearly four hundred years ago." "Wasn't Jacksonville formerly known by another name, captain?" asked Evelyn. "Yes," he replied, "the Indian name was Waccapilatka--meaning Cowford or Oxford--but in 1816 it became a white man's town and in 1822 its name was changed to Jackson, in honor of General Andrew Jackson. I think we should go up the St. Johns to that city before going farther down the coast." "Yes," said Mrs. Travilla, "and then on up the river and through the lakes to De Leon Springs. We all want to see that place." All in the company seemed to approve of that plan and it was presently decided to carry it out. They did not stop at Fernandina, only gazed upon it in passing, made but a short stay at Jacksonville, then passed on up the river and through the lakes to De Leon Springs.